First Lensman: Lensman Series

In the not-too-distant future, while fleets of commercial space ships travel between the planets of numerous solar systems, a traveler named Virgil Samms visits the planet Arisia. There, he becomes the first wearer of the Lens, the almost-living symbol of the forces of law and order. As the first Lensman, Samms helps to form the Galactic Patrol, a battalion of Lensmen who are larger-than-life heroes. These soldiers are the best of the best, with incredible skill, stealth, and drive.

Galactic Patrol: Lensman Series

The Galactic Patrol's Lensmen are the most feared peacekeepers in the galaxy. The "Lens", a telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its wearer, is the ultimate weapon in the war against the merciless pirate Boskone and his forces of lawlessness. The only problem is the Galactic Patrol isn't sure how to capitalize on the Lens' incredible powers. But new graduate Kimball Kinnison is determined to learn.

Gray Lensman: Lensman Series

Lensman Kimball Kinnison has attained the goal that every Lensman seeks, and so few attain: that of Unattached Lensman, a Lensman who is accountable to no one anywhere, completely independent, completely free.

Second Stage Lensman: Lensman Series

Kimball Kinnison and the Galactic Patrol again take up battle with Boskonia. The warfare leads to some odd corners of the universe and some stranger worlds. They include the planet Lyrane where a matriarchal society exists and the frigid world of Onio, with its incredibly alien inhabitants.

Children of the Lens: Lensman Series

Twenty years have passed since the events in Second State Lensman. Kimball Kinnison and his wife, Clarrissa, now have five children - the "Children of the Lens". As the offspring of generations of selected matings, they are the most brilliant and capable minds in the universe. Their mission: to conclude the Boskonian war.

The Vortex Blaster: Lensman Series

One man against the basic energy of the universe, unleashed in a ravening fury: that's Dr. Neal "Storm" Cloud. Unique is the only way to describe him. Alone in his single-handed battle, he finds that the appalling destructiveness of a loose atomic vortex can be canceled out only by destroying the vortex itself. While not even the most massive and modern of computers could figure out how to destroy a loose vortex, "Storm" Cloud can - and does.

The Skylark of Space: Skylark Series #1

Brilliant government scientist Richard Seaton discovers a remarkable faster-than-light fuel that will power his interstellar spaceship, The Skylark. His ruthless rival, Marc DuQuesne, and the sinister World Steel Corporation will do anything to get their hands on the fuel. They kidnap Seaton's fiancée and friends, unleashing a furious pursuit and igniting a burning desire for revenge that will propel The Skylark across the galaxy and back.

Skylark DuQuesne: Skylark Series #4

Dick Seaton and Marc DuQuesne are the deadliest enemies in the universe. Their feud has blazed among the stars and changed the history of a thousand planets. But now a threat from outside the galaxy drives them into a dangerous alliance as hordes of strange races drive to a collision with mankind.

Skylark Three: Skylark Series #2

In this exhilarating sequel to The Skylark of Space, momentous danger again stalks genius inventor and interplanetary adventurer Dr. Richard Seaton. Seaton's allies on the planet Kondal are suffering devastating attacks by the forces of the Third Planet. Even worse, the menacing and contemptuous Fenachrones are threatening to conquer the galaxy and wipe out all who oppose them.

Skylark of Valeron: Skylark Series #3

Our hero families are in deep space when they are attacked by the intellectuals. In order to survive the attack they rotate into the 4th dimension and are captured. They must make it back to 3space and find their way home. Unfortunately they find themselves hopelessly lost but are able to save another race and make their way home!

Triplanetary: First in the Lensman Series

Triplanetary was first serialized in Amazing Stories in 1934. After the Lensman series became popular, Smith took his Triplanetary story and turned it into the first of the Lensman series, using it as a prequel to give the back story for the protaganists in the Lensmen series. He added six new chapters, doubling it in size and it's really a different book from the serialized novel, being published 14 years after the first. It was put into Gutenberg just last year.

Spacehounds of IPC

The Inter-Planetary Corporation has sent the space ship Arcturus on a routine fact-finding mission, only to have it ambushed by a strange alien craft, leaving physicist Steve Stevens and Nadia Newton first stranded on Ganymede, and then caught up in the Vorkul-Hexan war. A space adventure of staggering proportions by science fiction master writer E. E. “Doc” Smith.

The Shadow of Cincinnatus: The Decline and Fall of the Galactic Empire, Book 2

The warlords are gone, save one. Admiral Marius Drake, betrayed and almost killed by the Grand Senate, has seized power for himself in a military coup. Now, as Emperor Marius, Drake can work to restore the once-great Federation to its former glory. But now that the Grand Senate is gone, the Federation is starting to fall apart. The bureaucrats are running rampant, the corporations are demanding new powers, the colonies want freedom, and Earth is collapsing into chaos.

The Time Traders

If it is possible to conquer space, then perhaps it is also possible to conquer time. At least that was the theory American scientists were exploring in an effort to explain the new sources of knowledge the Russians possessed. Perhaps Russian scientists had discovered how to transport themselves back in time in order to learn long-forgotten secrets of the past.

The Number of the Beast

The wickedest, most wonderful science fiction story ever created in our - or any - time. Anything can begin at a party in California - and everything does in this bold masterwork by a grand master of science fiction. When four supremely sensual and unspeakably cerebral humans - two male, two female - find themselves under attack from aliens who want their awesome quantum breakthrough, they take to the skies - and zoom into the cosmos on a rocket roller-coaster ride of adventure, danger, ecstasy, and peril.

Lone Star Planet

New Texas: its citizens figure that name about says it all. The Solar League ambassador to the Lone Star Planet has the unenviable task of convincing New Texans that a s'Srauff attack is imminent, and dangerous. Unfortunately it's common knowledge that the s'Srauff are evolved from canine ancestors - and not a Texan alive is about to be scared of a talking dog. But unless he can get them to act, and fast, there won't be a Texan alive, scared or otherwise.

To Sail Beyond the Sunset: The Life and Loves of Maureen Johnson (Being the Memoirs of a Somewhat Irregular Lady)

Maureen Johnson, the somewhat irregular mother of Lazarus Long, wakes up in bed with a man and a cat. The cat is Pixel, well-known to fans of the New York Times best seller The Cat Who Walks through Walls. The man is a stranger to her, and besides that, he is dead.

Glory Road

. C. “Scar” Gordon was on the French Riviera recovering from a tour of combat in Southeast Asia, but he hadn’t given up his habit of scanning the personals in the newspaper. One ad in particular leapt out at him: "Are you a coward? This is not for you. We badly need a brave man. He must be 23 to 25 years old, in perfect health, at least six feet tall, weigh about 190 pounds, fluent English with some French, proficient with all weapons, some knowledge of engineering and mathematics essential...."

Between Planets

When Don Harvey’s parents abruptly summon him from school on Earth to join them on Mars he has no idea he’s about to be plunged into a deadly interplanetary intrigue. But from the moment he begins his journey he finds himself the subject of intense – and possibly deadly – scrutiny.

The Legacy of Heorot

Best-selling science fiction superstars Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle combine their talents with those of Steven Barnes in an extraordinary adventure of humankind’s first outpost in the farthest reaches of space. Light years from Earth, colonists land on a planet they name Avalon. It seems like a paradise - until native creatures savagely attack. It will take every bit of intelligence, courage, and military-style discipline to survive.

Methuselah's Children

After the fall of the American Ayatollahs as foretold in Stranger in a Strange Land and chronicled in Revolt in 2100, the United States of America at last fulfills the promise inherent in its first Revolution: for the first time in human history there is a nation with Liberty and Justice for All. No one may seize or harm the person or property of another, or invade his privacy, or force him to do his bidding. Americans are fiercely proud of their re-won liberties and the blood it cost them; nothing could make them forswear those truths they hold self-evident. Nothing except the promise of immortality…

Inferno

After being thrown out of the window of his luxury apartment, science-fiction writer Allen Carpentier wakes to find himself at the gates of Hell. Feeling he's landed in a great opportunity for a book, he attempts to follow Dante's road map. Determined to meet Satan himself, Carpentier treks through the nine circles of Hell, led by Benito Mussolini, and encounters countless mental and physical tortures.

Storm over Warlock

In this story, an alien race known as the "Throgs" attacks a Terran survey camp without warning. "Eye-searing lances of energy lashed back and forth across the base with methodical accuracy, and a single cowering witness, flattened on a ledge in the heights above, knew that when the last of those yellow-red bolts fell, nothing human would be left alive down there."

A Call to Duty: Book I of Manticore Ascendant

Growing up, Travis Uriah Long yearned for order and discipline in his life...he two things his neglectful mother couldn’t or wouldn’t provide. So when Travis enlisted in the Royal Manticoran Navy, he thought he’d finally found the structure he’d always wanted so desperately. But life in the RMN isn’t exactly what he expected. Boot camp is rough and frustrating; his first ship assignment lax and disorderly; and with the Star Kingdom of Manticore still recovering from a devastating plague, the Navy is possibly on the edge of budgetary extinction.

Publisher's Summary

In the not-too-distant future, while fleets of commercial space ships travel between the planets of numerous solar systems, a traveler named Virgil Samms visits the planet Arisia. There, he becomes the first wearer of the Lens, the almost-living symbol of the forces of law and order. As the first Lensman, Samms helps to form the Galactic Patrol, a battalion of Lensmen who are larger-than-life heroes. These soldiers are the best of the best, with incredible skill, stealth, and drive. They are dedicated and incorruptible fighters who are willing to die to protect the universe from the most horrific threat it has ever known.

What the Critics Say

"The most towering figure in science fiction, thanks to the enormous scope of his novels." (Isaac Asimov)"If you wish to understand the roots of modern science fiction, you have to read the Lensman saga." (Allen Steele)"A finalist for a special Hugo Award for All-Time Best Series, 'Lensman' is considered by many sf heads to be the greatest of the space operas and clearly a source for such successors as Star Trek and Star Wars." (Library Journal)

Okay. The narrator of this series is not the best. Nevertheless, this story still works if you can get past some of writing (the "look of eagles" in the eyes of Lensmen for instance). If you've never dipped into these before, get Galactic patrol, Gray Lensman, Second Stage Lensmen and Children of the Lens in that order. If you are still hooked, go back and pick up First lensman. You have to be a real diehard lensmen fan to slug through Triplanetary.

This is classic space opera, good versus evil, with the guys in the white hats destined to win. Smith wasn't very good at envisioning future technology, but he comes up with some fun ideas. The inertialess drive is an interesting solution to FSL travel and the negasphere is one of the best Sci_Fi weapons ever imagined. His aliens are fun too, especially the frigid planet dwellers. Considering that the series was started in the late 30s, it holds up amazingly well.

As with any series, the first isn't the best, but this is classic sci-fi. It formed some of the beginning basis for my appreciation for fiction, and will always be awesome to me! The space-opera may be hard to get used to for young readers, but the Lensmen rule! This book is worth it for credit or cash!

The narrator has no concept of the era or the language. The accents and characterizations are nothing short of insulting. For its vintage, the story and the science were entertaining. Listening to this book is rather like trying to enjoy an early sci-fi movie with a damaged sound track.

I give this audio book three stars because the story is good. However, this is the most annoying narration I have ever heard. This could be a good series but I will not listen to another by this narrator. Perhaps it is an aquired taste...

Where does First Lensman rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Not fair to compare this to other stories as I read these books when I was a wee lad. However, Reed McColm did a good job of giving the characters that "mid-century" feel better than, say, Agent Carter on TV. If you are familiar with the time period this series takes place then you'll enjoy it! If not, too bad because the smirk you have because Edward Smith, PhD didn't get quite right will keep you from enjoying the overall space opera that is the Lensman Series.

What other book might you compare First Lensman to and why?

Oh dear... comparing Lensman to its successors is rather unfair... Star Wars by George Lucas, Known Space by Larry Niven comes to mind but there are countless others that have been inspired by this 1930's-1950's piece.

What does Reed McColm bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Given that the audiobook only had one voice, the different characters Mr. McColn provided unique voicing was excellent. He captured the mid 1900s voice and timbr perfectly. It is easy to forget that mores at that time were very different than today. Mr. McColn did a great job of isolating the voices so you could ride along in that mid-century vibe. Thanks!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The great conflagration is coming... what side are you on? The Galactic Patrol or Boscone? Make up your mind NOW.

Any additional comments?

Well produced. Wished there were a few more dramatic effects in the audio but is perfectly acceptable as is. Kudos.

The story itself is good, but the dialog and narration conspire to make this book unlistenable. The dialog is extremely dated and sounds silly. The narrator does not provide character voices as much as caricatures. Do yourself a favor and listen to the sample before you even consider burning a credit on this one.

This must have been exciting in 1938, but it is terribly outdated in 2011. It belongs on the shelf with Flash Gordon. Also, the narration is very hard on the ears. In particular, the voice of its hero, Lensman Samms, is loud, grating and totally unsympathetic - more like a soap opera villain than a scifi hero.

Would you try another book written by E. E. 'Doc' Smith or narrated by Reed McColm?

A classic series of class Sci Fi books ruined by poor narration and interpretation

Would you be willing to try another one of Reed McColm’s performances?

No, he's terrible

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A User

1/20/13

Overall

"Just awful!"

As a lover of Isaac Asimovs paperback books, I was absolutely appalled to listen to this Audiobook, the narration is without a doubt the most awful I have listened to, very sad as I know the paperbacks are wonderful.

Such a disappointment :-(

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

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